According to the updated estimations, over one billion animals, including reptiles, birds, mammals, and dozens of other animal species, have died in Australia’s bushfires since September.
As the University of Sydney ecologists previously suggested, an estimate of 480 million animals, including reptiles, birds, and mammals, have died due to raging fires in recent months.
Included in the death toll are also tens of thousands of koalas that are thought to have been either burned or starved to death following the loss of their natural habitat.
Now, however, the situation appears to be even grimmer as ecologist Chris Dickman revealed that the initial figure was based on the state of NSW alone and didn’t incorporate frogs, bats, and several other vital animal species.
“The original figure – the 480m – was based on mammals, birds and reptiles for which we do have densities, and that figure now is a little bit out of date.point 438 |
It’s over 800m given the extent of the fires now – in New South Wales alone.point 73 | If 800m sounds a lot, it’s not all the animals in the firing line,” he told Huffington Post.point 156 | 1
Allegedly, the number is well over one billion “without any doubt at all” provided that other Australian states as well as frogs, bats, and invertebrates are included in the calculations.
According to the University of Sydney experts, the loss of millions of animals represents a major setback for Australian wildlife.
Previously, Mark Graham of the Nature Conservation Council addressed the parliament to warn that the exact number of koalas killed in fires will probably never be established.
“The fires have burned so hot and so fast that there has been significant mortality of animals in the trees, but there is such a big area now that is still on fire and still burning that we will probably never find the bodies,” he said.
What are your thoughts on this news? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your family and friends and follow us on Facebook for more news and stories!
Replaced!